Rotary valved vacuum cleaning system outlet

ABSTRACT

The disclosure is directed to improvements in the outlets of a built-in vacuum system to which a cleaning hose may be detachably connected. Each outlet has a rotatable valve plug to eliminate air noise, which is provided with a sliding key that interlocks with the exposed end wall of the valve housing and a key actuator on the hose nipple which releases the valve plug for turning only when the hose nipple is seated in the outlet. The improved construction permits the valve plug to be removed from the exposed side of the valve housing for repair or replacement, and also permits adjustment of the end wall of the housing relative to the valve plug and insures alignment of the key and port opening in the valve plug with the keyhole and port opening in the valve housing, respectively, at the end of a turning movement of the valve plug.

United States Patent Primary Examiner-William R. Cline Attorney-Curtis,Morris & Safford ABSTRACT: The disclosure is directed to improvements inthe outlets of a built-in vacuum system to which a cleaning hose may bedetachably connected. Each outlet has a rotatable valve plug toeliminate air noise, which is provided with a sliding key thatinterlocks with the exposed end wall of the valve housing and a keyactuator on the hose nipple which releases the valve plug for turningonly when the hose nipple is seated in the outlet. The improvedconstruction permits the valve plug to be removed from the exposed sideof the valve housing for repair or replacement, and also pennits adjustment of the end wall of the housing relative to the valve plug andinsures alignment of the key and port opening in the valve plug with thekeyhole and port opening in the valve housing, respectively, at the endof a turning movement of the valve plug PATtNTmtczml v 3628.769

SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOR. WILFRED J. LEE

ATTORNEYS ROTARY VALVED VACUUM CLEANING SYSTEM OUTLET The presentinvention relates to outlets for detachably connecting a hose to apiping system and more particularly to a coupling construction forconnecting a flexible vacuum cleaning hose to a vacuum cleaning systemof the type described and claimed in an application for United StatesLetters Patent of Hans Stuy Ser. No. 830,772,348 filed June 5, 1969 andentitled Silent Hose Coupling now U.S. Pat. No. 3,570,809.

The vacuum cleaning system described in the Stuy application is built-inor installed in large buildings to facilitate the cleaning of differentareas thereof. Such vacuum cleaning systems comprise an exhausterconnected to a piping system in the walls of the building and having anoutlet in at least one wall of each enclosed area where cleaning isrequired. When an area is to be cleaned the attendant inserts a nippleat one end of a flexible cleaning hose into an outlet in the wall of theenclosure to connect the hose to the exhauster through the piping. Acleaning tool, such as a hollow brush or elongated nozzle, is connectedto the opposite end of the hose, either directly thereto or through anintermediate wand, and the brush or nozzle is passed over the surface tobe cleaned, the same as with a conventional tank-type vacuum cleaner.When the hose is coupled to and uncoupled from the outlet of suchbuilt'in vacuum cleaning system the rush of atmospheric air between thenipple of the hose and the outlet is apt to produce undesirable airnoises. In many installations, such as hospitals, libraries and otherpublic rooms, such noise is particularly objectionable. Furthermore thecouplings commonly used are not foolproof and many times becomedisconnected during use with a resulting noise, reduction in the partialvacuum produced by the exhauster, and other disadvantages.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedoutlet for a vacuum cleaning system of the type indicated which preventsthe rotatable valve in the outlet from being turned to its open positionuntil the end of the cleaning hose has been seated in the outlet andprevents the cleaning hose from being detached from the outlet until thevalve has been turned to its closed position.

Another object is to provide an improved outlet for a vacuum cleaningsystem which facilitates the removal of the valve plug for repair orreplacement.

Still another object is to provide an improved outlet for a vacuumcleaning system which is of a simplified and more compact construction,is economical to manufacture, and one which is reliable in operation.

These and other objects will become more apparent from the followingdescription and drawings, in which like reference characters denote likeparts throughout the several views. It is to be expressly understood,however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only andare not a definition of the limits of the invention, reference being hadfor this purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the two floors of a building having abuilt-in vacuum cleaning system with piping in the walls and showing theoutlets in separate rooms which incorporate the novel features of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevational view of one of the outletsillustrated in FIG. I and showing the circular opening in the end wallof the housing through which the nipple at the end of the cleaning hoseis inserted;

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevational view taken on line 3-3 ,of FIG. 2to show the sliding key on the valve plug which inter- The improvedoutlet of the present invention connects and disconnects one end of aflexible cleaning hose to the built-in piping of a vacuum cleaningsystem for the various rooms of a building. The outlet comprises a valveplug rotatably mounted in an enclosing housingand having a passagewaytherein forming port openings in its end and periphery, respectively.The end port is adapted to receive a nipple at one end of the cleaninghose and the peripheral port is movable into and out of register with aport opening in the housing when the valve plug is turned. One end wallof the housing overlies the end of the valve plug having the portopening and has an opening through which the hose nipple passes and arectangular keyhole at one side of the opening. The end of a sliding keyon the valve plug is spring pressed into the keyhole to interlock withthe end wall of the housing when the hose nipple is withdrawn and a keyactuator on the nipple engages and releases the key when the nipple isinserted to permit rotation of the valve plug to its open position. Uponturning movement of the valve plug and nipple the key actuatorinterlocks with the end wall of the housing to prevent removal of thehose nipple until the valve plug is rotated back to its closed position.

Referring now to the drawings, the outlet of the present invention isshown applied to a built-in type vacuum cleaning system for a buildinghaving permanent piping in the walls thereof. As shown in FIG. I, thevacuum cleaning system comprises an exhauster 5 connected to a dustseparator 6 through a conduit 7. The exhauster 5 and dust separator 6may be located at any suitable place, such as the basement of thebuilding. The lower end of the dust separator 6 is connected to a pipingsystem 8 having sections such as 8-A and 8-H extending through thefloors 9 and 10 and walls 11 and 12 of the building enclosing differentareas or rooms such as 13. Each section 8-A and 8-8 of the piping system8 has outlets I4 to which one end of a detachable cleaning hose may beconnected. Outlets 14 have one end only adapted for connection to ahose. As shown in FIG. 1, each outlet is covered by a hinged cover plate15 on the partition walls 11 and 12 which normally overlie the outletbut which may be lifted away from the outlet when a cleaning operationis to be performed.

Each outlet 14 comprises a hollow cylindrical housing 20, see FIG. 3,having an outlet port 21 in the wall thereof. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,the housing 20 is connected by means of bolts 25 to a saddle 23 of apipe fitting 24 in the piping system 8. A valve plug 28 of the samecylindrical contour as the housing 20 is adapted to closely fit thewalls thereof and is held in place in the housing by end plates 29' and30 forming walls of the housing. It will be understood that the housing20 and valve plug 28 are illustrated as cylindrical that they may beslightly tapered to have a frustoconical shape. The valve plug 28 has apassageway 31 forming an axially located port 32 at one end and a radialport 33 at its periphery at the opposite end.

The end plate 29 closes the rearward end of the circular housing 20, butend plate 30 has a circular opening 34 of a size and shape correspondingto but larger than the axial port 32 in the valve plug 28 with arectangular keyhole slot 35 at one side thereof.

The flexible cleaning hose 36 has a nipple 37 at one end, see FIGS. 4and 5, adapted to enter the housing through the circular opening 34 inthe endplate 30.The nipple 37 and axial port 32 may have a correspondingtaper to seat, one in the other, in sealing engagement, or the end ofthe nipple may seat against a gasket in the valve, or O-rings may beprovided between the nipple and valve to produce an airtight seal whenthe nipple is moved axially through the end plate 30 into the portopening 32 in the valve plug 28. In the illustrated embodiment a gasket38 is provided between a shoulder 39 in the sidewall of the port 32 inthe valve plug 28 for engagement by the end of the hose nipple 37, seeFIG. 5. As thus far described, the outlet 14 is substantially identicalwith that described and claimed in the Stuy application, referred toabove.

In accordance with the present invention a keyway 40 is provided in theouter periphery of the valve plug 28, see FIG.

3, extending longitudinally thereof parallel to its axis throughout itslength. Mounted in the keyway 40 are a pair of keys 4] and 42 with acompression spring 43 between the adjacent ends thereof. Keys 41 and 42are flush with the outer periphery of valve plug 28. Key 42 acts merelyas a spacer and is held against movement rearwardly by engagement with astop 44 screwed into the bottom of the keyway and against movementforwardly by a spring 43. Key 41 is pressed forwardly by spring 43, seeFIG. 3, and its forward end is cut away as shown most clearly in FIG. 4to form a shoulder 45 which engages the back of the end plate 30 tolimit its forward movement and a tongue 46 projecting forwardly from theshoulder into the keyhole slot 35. The forwardly projecting tongue 46then is positioned between the sides 47 and 48 of the slot 35 to lockthe valve plug 28 against rotation. The valve plug 28 is unlocked by akey actuator 49 projecting radially from the hose nipple 37. When thehose nipple 37 is inserted into its axial port 32 of the valve plug 28the key actuator 49 in the form of a pin engages the tongue 46 at theend of the key 41 and presses the key rearwardly against the action ofthe spring 43 until the forward end of the tongue is positionedrearwardly of the end plate 30, see FIG. 5. For this purpose the forwardend of the valve plug 28 is slotted under the key 90 as at 50 to permitpassage of the key actuator pin 49 on the hose nipple 37 beyond the endof the valve plug 28 when the hose nipple 37 is inserted into the portopening 32 of the valve plug. The hose nipple 37 is and valve plug 28can then be turned to register port 33 on the valve plug 28 with theport 21 in the housing 20 to connect the hose to the fixed piping 8 ofthe vacuum system.

As soon as the valve plug 28 is turned the pin 49 on the hose nipple 37is positioned at the rear of the end plate 30 which prevents the removalof the nipple until it has been turned back into register with thekeyhole slot 35 in the end plate. The rearward face of the end plate 30is provided with a shallow recess 51, see FIGS. 4 and 5, into which thepin 49 on the hose nipple 37 seats to indicate a fully open position ofthe valve plug 28 and which also provides a releasable catch to preventaccidental turning of the valve plug after it has been opened.

The valve plug 28 is also provided with stops 55 and 56 to limit itsturning movement. To this end, the outer periphery of the forward end ofthe valve plug 28 is cut away to provide a peripheral recess 57 aroundits entire periphery except at the sides of the keyway 40 to provideshoulders 58 and 59 engaged by the pin 49 on the hose nipple 37. A fixedstop 60, shown in the form of a rivet, projects rearwardly from the endplate 30 into the annular recess 57 in the forward end of the valve plug28 and between the stops 55 and 56 projecting radially from the valveplug. Thus, engagement of either of the stops 55 or 56 on the valve plug28 with the fixed stop 60 on the end plate 30 limits the rotary movementof the valve plug.

End plate 30 is attached to the cylindrical body of the housing 20 bymeans of screws 65 which are screwed into threaded holes in the housing.The screws 65 extend through enlarged holes 66 in the end plate 30 whichfacilitates attachment and permits adjustment of the end plate on thehousing. To this end, washers 67 are provided between the heads of thescrews 65 and end plate 30 to permit such adjustment. One form of theinvention having now been described in detail, the mode of operation isnext explained.

When an area is to be cleaned, such as the room l3 illustrated in HO. 1,the nipple .37 at the end of the cleaning hose 36 is inserted in anoutlet 14 in a manner illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. In order to insertthe nipple 37, the radial pin 49 has to be aligned with the keyhole slot35 in the circular opening 34 in the end plate 30 and pressed axiallyinto the open end of the axial port 32 in the valve plug 28 until theend of the nipple engages gasket 38, see FIG. 5, and seals the jointbetween the parts. Also the axial movement of the hose nipple 37 engagesthe radial pin 49 with the forwardly projecting tongue 46 at the forwardend of the key and moves it axially until it and the pin is positionedat the rear of the end plate 30, see F l6. 5, to

release the valve plug 28. The hose nipple 37 is then turned clockwiseas viewed in FIG. 2 and the radial pin 49 on the nipple located in theslot 50 and keyway 40 rotates the valve plug 28 until its outlet port 33aligns with the port 21 in the valve housing 20, see FIG. 5. Thus, thenipple 37 must be seated in sealing engagement in the port 37 in the endof the valve plug 28 before the valve can be turned to align the outletports 33 and 21. This prevents any leakage of air between the partswhich would create an undesirable air noise.

Simultaneously the turning of the hose nipple 55 engages the pin 49projecting radially from nipple 37 with the rearward face of the endplate 30 to interlock the parts and prevent removal of the hose untilthe valve 28 has been turned back to a closed position. Thus, anypossibility of air leakage and noise is prevented during the connectionor disconnection of the hose nipple 37 and valve plug 28, constituting acoupling, and when once coupled the nipple is interlocked with the endplate 30 until the radial valve port 33 is moved out of register withthe outlet port 21 in the valve housing 20, see FIG. 5. Registry of port33 in the valve plug 28 with the port 21 in the housing is insured bythe engagement of detent 56 with stop 60 on the end wall and the valveplug is releasably held in position by the engagement of pin 49 on thehose nipple 37 with the recess 51 in the end plate.

After a cleaning operation has been completed the hose nipple 55 isrotated in the opposite direction through from the position shown inFIG. 5 back to that shown in FIG. 4, at which time the radial pin 49aligns with keyhole slot 35 in the end plate 30 so that the hose nipplemay be withdrawn from the outlet 14. The closed position of the valveplug 28 also is insured by the engagement of cletent 55 on the valveplug with the stop 60 on the end plate 30 of the housing 20.

At any time when any adjustment, repair or replacement of the valve plug28 is required, the latter may be withdrawn from the housing 20 at theend where the hose nipple 37 is inserted by merely removing the screws65 and washers 67. The end plate 30 is then removed, which permits thevalve plug to be withdrawn from the housing without marring or otherwisedamaging the wall ll or 12 of the room in which the outlet 14 islocated. it will now be observed that the present invention provides animproved outlet for a vacuum cleaning system which prevents rotation ofa closed valve until a cleaning hose has been inserted or removal of thecleaning hose after it has been inserted and the valve turned to itsopen position. It will also be observed that the present inventionprovides an improved structure in an outlet for a vacuum cleaning systemwhich facilitates removal of the valve plug for repair or replacement.It will still further be observed that the present invention provides anoutlet for a vacuum cleaning system having a simple and compactconstruction, adapted for economical manufacture, and one which isreliable in operation.

While a single embodiment of the invention is herein illustrated anddescribed, it will be understood that modifications may be made inconstruction and arrangement of elements without departing from thespirit'or scope of the invention. Therefore, without limitation in thisrespect, the invention is defined by the following claims.

lclaim:

1. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system of the type having a centralexhauster connected to piping extending to different areas of a buildingwith one of the outlets provided at each area for connecting adetachable cleaning hose to the exhauster and in which each outletcomprises a housing having a generally cylindrical wall with a. portopening connected to the piping, a generally cylindrical valve plugrotatable in the housing and having a passageway therein forming portopenings at one end and in its periphery, respectively, and a nipple atone end of the cleaning hose adapted to be inserted into the portopening in the end of the plug, that improvement comprising an end wallon the housing having an opening in alignment with the port opening inthe end of the valve plug through which a nipple at one end of thecleaning hose is inserted, a

keyhole in the end wall at one side of the opening, a key slidable in akeyway in the periphery of the valve plug and having an end projectinginto the keyhole and interlocking with the end wall of the housing atthe sides of the keyhole to lock the valve plug against rotation in thehousing, and a pin projecting radially from the hose nipple to engagethe end of the key and slide it rearwardly out of the keyhole when ahose nipple is inserted in the port opening in the valve plug to releasethe valve plug only when the hose nipple has been seated therein.

2. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system comprising a centralexhauster, piping connected to the exhauster and extending to differentareas of a building, outlets from the piping at the different areas, adetachable cleaning hose having a nipple at one end for insertion intoan outlet for connection to the exhauster, each of said outletscomprising housing having a generally cylindrical wall with a portopening therein connected to the piping, a generally cylindrical valveplug in the housing having a passageway forming a port opening at oneend to receive the nipple of the cleaning hose and a port opening in itsperiphery movable into and out of register with the port opening in thehousing when the valve plug is rotated, an end wall on the housinghaving a circular opening through which the hose nipple is inserted intothe port opening in the end of the valve and a keyhole extending radialfrom one side of the circular opening, a keyway in the valve plug, a keymounted in the keyway and having one end projecting into the keyhole tointerlock with the end wall of the housing at the sides of the keyhole,a spring biasing the key to move its end into the keyhole, and a keyactuator projecting radially from the hose nipple to engage the end ofthe key and move it rearwardly out of the keyhole when the hose nippleis seated in port opening in the valve plug whereby to release the valveplug for rotation in the housing.

3. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in, accordance with claim 2 inwhich the spring for biasing the key is a coiled spring mounted in thekeyway at the rear of the key, an abutment bar in the keyway at the rearof the spring and a stop in the keyway at the rear of the abutment.

4. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in accordance with claim 2 inwhich the end of the key adjacent the outer periphery of the valve plugis recessed to form a forwardly projecting tongue and a shoulderrearwardly of said tongue, and said keyhole extends radially from thecircular opening for a distance less than maximum radial width of thekey to cause the tongue to project into the keyhole and the shoulder toengage the rear of the end wall to limit the forward movement of thekey.

5. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in accordance with claim 2 inwhich the key actuator is a pin, and the forward end of the valve plugis slotted under the keyway to provide shoulders engageable by the pinto turn the valve plug when the hose nipple is turned in oppositedirections.

6. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in accordance with claim 5 inwhich the valve plug is recessed at its forward end adjacent the endwall of the housing, a stop projecting rearwardly from the end wall ofthe housing into the recess in the valve plug, and shoulders on thevalve plug engageable with the stop to align the peripheral port openingin the valve plug with the port opening in the housing when the valveplug is turned to one position and align the key with the keyhole whenthe valve plug is turned to another position.

7. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in accordance with claim 2 inwhich the end wall is detachably connected to the housing whereby toadapt the valve plug to be withdrawn from the housing for repair andreplacement.

8. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system in accordance with claim 7 inwhich the end wall is detachably connected to the housing by screwspassing through openings in the end wall, washers underlying the headsof the screws, and the holes in the end wall being larger than thescrews to adapt the end wall to be adjusted relative to the generallycylindrical wall to align the circular opening therein with the portopening at the end of the valve lug.

9. An outlet or a vacuum cleaning system according to claim 5 in whichthe inner surface of said end wall has a shallow slot formed therein andpositioned to receive said pin and act as a detent therefor when saidvalve plug has been rotated to fully open said outlet.

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1. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system of the type having a centralexhauster connected to piping extending to different areas of a buildingwith one of the outlets provided at each area for connecting adetachable cleaning hose to the exhauster and in which each outletcomprises a housing having a generally cylindrical wall with a portopening connected to the piping, a generally cylindrical valve plugrotatable in the housing and having a passageway therein forming portopenings at one end and in its periphery, respectively, and a nipple atone end of the cleaning hose adapted to be inserted into the portopening in the end of the plug, that improvement comprising an end wallon the housing having an opening in alignment with the port opening inthe end of the valve plug through which a nipple at one end of thecleaning hose is inserted, a keyhole in the end wall at one side of theopening, a key slidable in a keyway in the periphery of the valve plugand having an end projecting into the keyhole and interlocking with theend wall of the housing at the sides of the keyhole to lock the valveplug against rotation in the housing, and a pin projecting radially fromthe hose nipple to engage the end of the key and slide it rearwardly outof the keyhole when a hose nipple is inserted in the port opening in thevalve plug to release the valve plug only when the hose nipple has beenseated therein.
 2. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system comprising acentral exhauster, piping connected to the exhauster and extending todifferent areas of a building, outlets from the piping at the differentareas, a detachable cleaning hose having a nipple at one end forinsertion into an outlet for connection to the exhauster, each of saidoutlets comprising housing having a generally cylindrical wall with aport opening therein connected to the piping, a generally cylindricalvalve plug in the housing having a passageway forming a port opening atone end to receive the nipple of the cleaning hose and a port opening inits periphery movable into and out of register with the port opening inthe housing when the valve plug is rotated, an end wall on the housinghaving a circular opening through which the hose nipple is inserted intothe port opening in The end of the valve and a keyhole extending radialfrom one side of the circular opening, a keyway in the valve plug, a keymounted in the keyway and having one end projecting into the keyhole tointerlock with the end wall of the housing at the sides of the keyhole,a spring biasing the key to move its end into the keyhole, and a keyactuator projecting radially from the hose nipple to engage the end ofthe key and move it rearwardly out of the keyhole when the hose nippleis seated in port opening in the valve plug whereby to release the valveplug for rotation in the housing.
 3. An outlet for a vacuum cleaningsystem in, accordance with claim 2 in which the spring for biasing thekey is a coiled spring mounted in the keyway at the rear of the key, anabutment bar in the keyway at the rear of the spring and a stop in thekeyway at the rear of the abutment.
 4. An outlet for a vacuum cleaningsystem in accordance with claim 2 in which the end of the key adjacentthe outer periphery of the valve plug is recessed to form a forwardlyprojecting tongue and a shoulder rearwardly of said tongue, and saidkeyhole extends radially from the circular opening for a distance lessthan maximum radial width of the key to cause the tongue to project intothe keyhole and the shoulder to engage the rear of the end wall to limitthe forward movement of the key.
 5. An outlet for a vacuum cleaningsystem in accordance with claim 2 in which the key actuator is a pin,and the forward end of the valve plug is slotted under the keyway toprovide shoulders engageable by the pin to turn the valve plug when thehose nipple is turned in opposite directions.
 6. An outlet for a vacuumcleaning system in accordance with claim 5 in which the valve plug isrecessed at its forward end adjacent the end wall of the housing, a stopprojecting rearwardly from the end wall of the housing into the recessin the valve plug, and shoulders on the valve plug engageable with thestop to align the peripheral port opening in the valve plug with theport opening in the housing when the valve plug is turned to oneposition and align the key with the keyhole when the valve plug isturned to another position.
 7. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system inaccordance with claim 2 in which the end wall is detachably connected tothe housing whereby to adapt the valve plug to be withdrawn from thehousing for repair and replacement.
 8. An outlet for a vacuum cleaningsystem in accordance with claim 7 in which the end wall is detachablyconnected to the housing by screws passing through openings in the endwall, washers underlying the heads of the screws, and the holes in theend wall being larger than the screws to adapt the end wall to beadjusted relative to the generally cylindrical wall to align thecircular opening therein with the port opening at the end of the valveplug.
 9. An outlet for a vacuum cleaning system according to claim 5 inwhich the inner surface of said end wall has a shallow slot formedtherein and positioned to receive said pin and act as a detent thereforwhen said valve plug has been rotated to fully open said outlet.